


The Sun in the Morning

by Anonymous



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1990s, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Bottom Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers Feels, Eventual Romance, Gay Male Character, M/M, Teen Angst, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 17:01:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17532701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "You're all pretension, I never pay attention."Stucky except it's 1991 and they're in high school.





	The Sun in the Morning

It was a grey outside, the type of grey that weighs on a person and makes each second drag on endlessly. Sitting inside Brighton High School, Steve stared out the window into the endless grey outside. He was a good student, well-liked by his teachers and classmates. Mild-mannered and eager to please, people rarely had anything negative to say about him. Today, however, he was off. His friends had murmured about it, trying to blame it on the greyness outside, yet that hadn’t stopped from feeling uneasy. Steve had barely spoken a word all day, barely smiled at anyone. He’d done his work, head down, scribbling answers on his paper, completely disengaged. It was unlike him, to say the least.  
Steve was well-aware of his friends concern, and though it was endearing, he had kept to himself for most of the day. The trouble was, he didn't know why he was acting different. Maybe it was just the greyness, and tomorrow he would wake up, and the sun would be shining and all would return to normal. But he also knew that was unlikely, and that the weather wasn’t a valid explanation for how grossly uncertain and generally nervous he felt. It was a real shitty situation. He felt all torn up inside and he didn’t know why. Staring out the window, he tried to pinpoint when it had started. Had he woken up feeling like this? No, he’d been relatively happy this morning. It must have started after he got to school. He tried to remember the events of the day-- if there was anything different, or out of the ordinary that had happened. Images of his day flashed through his mind. Almost everything was normal, the same mundane routine that he went through everyday. One moment did stick out to him though, it was small, probably meaningless, yet he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was first period, British Literature, a relatively boring class. Steve had been sitting in his usual seat, listening to his teacher drone on about Great Expectations and the Victorian Era, when he overheard arguing out in the hallway. The voices were fainting, but certainly there. Steve had turned to look out the small rectangular window in the door to the classroom, catching a brief glimpse of the two men arguing. One, he had never seen before, the other took a moment to place, but the name came to Steve eventually-- Bucky Barnes. They were in the same grade, never really talked much, but Steve had always had a quiet respect for Bucky, who was in many ways, his opposite. Reckless and without filter, Bucky walked around the school in cool, long strides, with an air of arrogance about him. The Bucky that Steve saw out in the hallway that day looked vastly different than the one that strode around the school with his head held high. He was pleading with other boy, clearly upset. Steve strained, trying to hear what they were saying, but their words were nothing more than distorted jumbles. Steve watched as Bucky stepped closer to the other boy, gripping the fabric of his shirt in a loose fist. The other boy tore Bucky’s hand away and shoved him aside, storming off down the hallway, and out of Steve’s view. The interaction was puzzling to Steve, but was only made more confusing when Bucky glanced into the classroom and made eye contact with him. It was brief, their eyes met for only a few, fleeting seconds, but the look upon his face had stuck with Steve. He had looked hurt, heartbroken almost. Steve had tried to shake off what he had just witnessed, but clearly, the occurrence had stuck with him. But why was that interaction making him feel so torn up inside? It was more than just empathy for Bucky, for whatever hardship he was going through. No, this was something much bigger, it had to be. Why else would he feel so shitty?  
Leaving school that day, Steve avoided his friends. He didn’t feeling like dealing with another round of their concerned “are you okay”s and forced small talk. He tugged on his jacket as he exited the school and into the greyness outside. Despite the gloomy weather, Manhattan was still buzzing. Students buzzed about outside the school, in lively conversation with friends, cars sat in traffic outside the school, honking loudly. As Steve began the familiar trek through the crowded streets to the subway, which he had rode home from school every day for the past eleven years, his thoughts wandered back to Bucky. What had they been arguing about to cause him to look so sad? It had to have been something pretty serious. Steve tried to remember if he had see Bucky with the boy he was arguing with before. He bit his lip, as he reached into the deepest parts of his memory, hoping for something-- anything. Besides for maybe seeing the two of them talking in the hallway, or walking to class together, nothing of note came to mind. Maybe it was just an argument between friends, Steve thought, though he doubted that. He’d never seen someone look so hurt over something their friend said. Bucky had looked like his whole world had just shattered before him. It had to be something more. Steve sighed, trying to shake the thoughts from his mind before he gave himself a headache. He often overthought things to the point where nothing made sense anymore.  
Riding the subway home that day, Steve watched out the window as they thundered along the track, the Earth moving by in a blur outside the window. He tried to clear his head, forgetting the thoughts of Bucky and his own mixed up emotions, but it was hard. As he exited the subway, he still felt weighted down as he had all day. The rest of his day passed uneventfully. He did some homework, showered, ate dinner with his mother after she got home from work, and went to bed. It was easy, routine. Laying in bed that night, the thoughts of the day returned. He felt like he could cry, an uncomfortable lump had formed in his throat. He swallowed, wishing for sleep to come so he could escape the seemingly endless day. Eventually, he fell into a fitful sleep, which he awoke from the next morning to the sound of his alarm.  
He went through his typical morning routine: wake up, shower, brush teeth, eat breakfast, walk to the subway, ride the subway to school. He did it all with easy, despite the feeling just as shitty as the day before. Walking into school that day, he searched the halls for Bucky. He didn’t know what he would say to him, or if he would even say anything. He just wanted to see him, to make sure he was okay, or something like that. Steve weaved through the crowds of students in the halls, forcing a smile at his friends when he saw them. The bell rang, and Steve had yet to find Bucky. He sighed. Maybe he didn’t come to school today, he thought. Just as Steve turned to go to class, he spotted him. Bucky Barnes walked into school that day with his typical swagger. He was tall, dark brown hair pushed back messily, in that way that still looks purposeful. He walked with his usual long strides through the hall. He seemed normal, apart from the puffiness Steve noticed under his eyes. Had he been crying? Steve couldn’t picture someone like him crying. Suddenly, Steve noticed that Bucky was staring straight back at him. The hallway had almost cleared, apart from a few stragglers. Steve shifted uncomfortably, realizing how intently he must have been staring at Bucky.  
“Rogers, is it? Steve Rogers. Were you staring at me?” Bucky asked, stopping to stand before Steve. Steve noticed what looked to be a smirk on his face.  
“I just zoned out, sorry,” Steve stammered out apologetically. He wondered if Bucky remembered the glance they shared yesterday. He searched his face for some sign of recognition, but there was none. “I should go to class.” He started to walk away, feeling Bucky’s gaze following him.  
“I think we need to have a talk, Rogers. Meet me out front, during lunch,” Bucky called out. His words caused Steve to flinch, both from nerves and excitement. He worried Bucky would be angry with him for watching yesterday, but he also couldn’t wait to find out what the fight had been about.  
Steve waited anxiously for lunch. Each minute of class seemed to pass slower than usual, until finally the lunch bell rang. Steve sprang from his seat and made his way to the front of the school in mere seconds. He stood on the schools front lawn, his hands jammed in his pockets. A few other students came outside and sprawled across the front lawn with their friends, eating and conversing. It was a much nicer day than yesterday, the greyness was gone, replaced by a bright blue sky. It was fairly warm for November. A few minutes passed, and Steve wondered if Bucky forgot about their meeting. He chewed on his lip nervously, until finally Bucky emerged from the school. He noticed Steve, grabbed him by the forearm and pulled him to a deserted alleyway beside the school. Steve was so nervous, he figured he must have been visibly shaking. Bucky pushed him back against the brick wall of the school and stood in front of him. He was taller by a few inches, and most definitely in better shape. Steve was rather scrawny, while Bucky was sturdy and clearly strong.  
“I know you saw that shit yesterday. I don’t know how much of it you heard or… or what, but please don’t tell anyone,” Bucky said with a sense of urgency.  
Steve was confused. He was certain Bucky had pulled him over here to scold him for eavesdropping. Never did he think Bucky would be so panicked. It was odd, seeing him like this, so clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t hear anything. I just saw you guys arguing, that’s all.” Steve saw relief wash over Bucky’s face. He visibly relaxed. Steve swallowed, deciding if he should continue, “Are you… okay?”  
Bucky let out a quiet laugh. He reached into the pocket of the loose denim jacket he wore and pulled out a crumpled pack of Marlboro’s and a black BIC lighter. He took a cigarette from the package, stuck it between his lips, and lit it. Finally, he responded. “Yeah, I’m perfect, Rogers.”  
Steve bit down on his bottom lip, unsure how to respond. Clearly, he was not fine, but was Steve really the one he’d want to talk about his feelings with? It was worth a shot, Steve thought. “What was the fight about?”  
“Nothing that concerns you.”  
“I know, I just thought-”  
“I don’t want to talk about it! For fucksakes!” Bucky burst out, causing Steve to visibly flinch. Bucky noticed and quickly backtracked, “I’m not mad at you, it’s just not something I want to talk about, okay?”  
Steve nodded. “Yeah, uh, okay.” They stood there in silence for a moment, Steve pressed up against the wall, Bucky smoking his cigarette down to the filter, before stubbing it out on the ground, which elicited a small hiss. Steve had never been this close to him before. He took the moment to examine his features, which were defined, and well proportioned. “Well, I should probably go back inside. Class should be starting soon.”  
Bucky nodded and took a step back so Steve could leave. “You know, I think I could use to talk about it, the fight you and everything. And, you, uh, seem nice enough, you know, and I don’t really have a lot of friends, or people to talk to, but, I’m scared you’ll judge me or something.” He blurted out, leaving Steve once again, taken aback. Bucky Barnes was sure full of surprises.  
“I would never judge you. I hardly know you.” Steve shrugged. “If you want, you can come to my place after school, to uh… to talk?” Steve said, assuming he would shoot down the offer.  
“Really? Alright, I’ll meet you out front again. Thanks, Rogers.” He said, clearly relieved to finally have someone to vent to. He walked off, with his typical arrogance. Steve was left, completely confused by their conversation, and incredibly nervous for whatever Bucky was going to tell him.


End file.
